Wycoller is an abandoned village 3 miles east of Colne, Lancashire.
There appear to be two definitions of Wycoller Cake.
“Traditional Food East and West of the Pennines” says: “Wycoller cake, also known as love paste or courting cake, can still be bought today. It comprises two layers of rich shortcrust pastry with a layer of jam spread between them before baking. ” [1]
The other definition is a plain cake of a single layer, rolled out, baked and served with butter on top. The recipe for this version, which is more prevalent in historical sources, is below.
Cooking Tips
Wycoller Cake
8 oz flour (1 1/2 cups / 225g)
4 oz lard (1/2 cup / 115g) [or dripping, margarine or butter]
4 oz sugar (1/2 cup / 115g)
1 egg, beaten
milk to brush on top
(some recipes add dried fruit)
(some recipes add 2 heaped teaspoonfuls of baking powder)
Crumble together flour and lard (add baking powder if using.) Add beaten egg, mix to bind (some recipes say you can cheat and add a bit of milk if needed.) Add sugar. (Add dried fruit if using.)
On a floured board, roll out 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) thick in a large circle, then put on greased baking sheet. Brush top with some milk. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 355 F (150 C / gas mark 4 ) until firm and slightly brown on top.
Slice to serve; you eat it with butter or jam spread on top.
Sources
[1] Wilson, C. Anne. Editor. Traditional Food East and West of the Pennines. Edinburgh University Press, 1991.